Resort work set to resume

Building work on the Ettalong Beach Resort should restart in four to six weeks, according to club manager Mr Peter Hale.

Work on the resort had been halted to seek council approval for design changes.

Mr Hale said: "With the approach now of the Fast Ferry, it was considered prudent to revisit the design, in particular the club facility.

"This process required submissions to Council of altered designs.

"The short pause in construction to complete this and the final finance package, which required a syndicate of three banks, was considered prudent," he said.

The enterprise was the largest private project of this nature attempted on the Central Coast, Mr Hale said. Its development had involved "a long and intricate series of processes".

The original concepts were designed in 1997.

The final sale of units that would permit the full completion of the resort did not occur until early this year.

Meanwhile, the design process for the Fast Ferry facility and financing of the operating company was occurring concurrently, said Mr Hale, who is also Fast Ships' chairman.

A prospectus to assist fundraising for the final implementation process was almost complete, he said.

The company was also in the final throes of vessel design, and construction was due to commence shortly.

"It is anticipated that the vessel will be operating in December or January," he said.